Joe Namath is rooting for the New York Jets. The rest of his family...not so much.

By
Cindy Boren

Joe Namath will be rooting for the New York Jets, the team the quarterback led to its only Super Bowl victory in 1969, against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC championship game Sunday.

The rest of his family will not.

"I promise you, the Steelers are a way of life in western Pennsylvania," Namath, who's from Beaver Falls, Pa., told ESPNNewYork.com. "My entire family is for the Steelers. My sister told me, 'Joey, we love you, and if you were on the field we'd be pulling for the Jets, but you're not going to be on the field, so we're pulling for the Steelers like the rest of the family.'

"I'm the one Namath rooting for the Jets. I might be the only person from western Pennsylvania pulling for the Jets."

Namath said he plans to watch the game from his home in Florida. Although he famously guaranteed the Jets' Super Bowl III victory, he has no predictions as a fan.

"It's a great opportunity," he said. "The problem is the Pittsburgh Steelers and that monster defense. ... The really, really good news is the Jets know they can win. They've already won there [last month 22-17], and they expect to win. It's not false bravado. As long as they play smart, aggressive football, they'll have an excellent chance."

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